LAKE COUNTY — A local fire chief and a sheriff’s deputy have been given congressional awards for their contributions to public safety.

U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (District 5) on Tuesday named Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Marc De La Torre and Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta as the Lake County recipients of the fifth congressional district’s “Public Safety Hero of the Year Award.”

The awards were presented to De La Torre and Sapeta at a ceremony held by Thompson honoring law enforcement and first responders across California’s fifth congressional district, which encompasses Napa County and portions of Lake, Contra Costa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Each year, Thompson honors law enforcement officers and first responders in the community who have “gone above and beyond the call of duty,” Thompson’s office said in a release.

“Our local public safety officers are some of our most vital community members, putting their lives on the line to keep us safe and often working overtime during emergencies, such as our recent fires,” said Thompson. “I am humbled to once again present my Annual Public Safety Hero Award to the local law enforcement officers and first responders who demonstrate exceptional courage and dedication day in and day out. It is an incredible honor to represent so many dedicated and heroic public servants.”

Each year, Thompson honors at least one local law enforcement officer and one local first responder from each county with the “Public Safety Hero” award.

Thompson’s office said that De La Torre was recognized for his “heroism and quick thinking on the job” in 2019 when he encountered a mother standing on the side of the highway, holding an unresponsive child in her arms. “His professional and swift response helped ensure the child lived and got medical care, changing a family’s life for the better,” the office said.

De La Torre, who was a correctional officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department for two years before becoming a deputy in late 2015, said he was driving inmates back to the Lake County Jail last fall when he saw a woman on the shoulder of the highway, crying and holding an infant in her arms.

Even as De La Torre pulled over to help the woman he could tell the baby wasn’t moving, he said. But De La Torre was soon able to get the baby breathing again. “Training took over,” he noted. The child was treated in hospital care for a seizure and later recovered, De La Torre said.

De La Torre said “it was great to be honored like that” by Thompson. “A great experience for sure,” he added.

In awarding Sapeta, Thompson’s office said the fire chief “has been the go-to guy when it comes to emergency response in Lake County, coordinating trainings, drills and safety exercises and ensuring the county has the most up to date protocols to keep our community safe,” and noting that Sapeta is “known for his constant presence both at work and for his family.”

“I was speechless,” Sapeta said of his reaction during the award ceremony. “I was very humbled by it. There are thousands of us in this congressional district that do this stuff every day, and to have that recognition from Thompson’s office was overwhelming.”

Sapeta, who grew up in Lake County and graduated from Middletown High School in the 1980s, was already involved with Lake County Fire before getting his diploma. He now has 33 years of experience there, and has been chief since 2012.

“It is my honor to recognize Deputy De La Torre and Chief Sapeta as our Public Safety Heroes for Lake County,” said Thompson. “They have dedicated their lives to keeping our community safe and have gone above and beyond in their public service throughout their careers. We are proud to have such heroes in our community and thank them for their service.”

Here’s the full list of the Public Safety Heroes of the Year for the Fifth Congressional District: